Bugles can be traced back as far as the 1700s with the Grenadier Guard and other
similar military units
for signaling soldiers. The
original bugle was a single tube instrument with a conical shape through-out
as opposed to cylindrical tubing which is used
in concert style instruments. This
instrument could be
played
louder without sounding
strained. During the
mid 1800's keys, valves were
added to increase
their music range. It was the early 1900's with
the invention of the radio that bugles slowly became obsolete for the
purpose of signaling soldiers. Military drum
and bugle corps were organized to perform at military and public ceremonies.
Prior to 1920 these units often divided into four
sections. The first three sections
consisted of players utilizing soprano
bugles while the third section used bass bugles (later known as Baritone bugles) pitched
in an octave below the regular instruments. Corps such as the
2nd Armoured Divisional Signals Regiment Band out of Toronto were
formed in 1926 as a military band. This band now known as
Toronto Signals Band
is
still in existence today however in 1959 left the Canadian Military.

In the early 1900's many of the surplus
military equipment was sold
to veteran and civilian organizations. Organizations such as Royal
Canadian Legion, American Legion
and Boy Scout Associations purchased this equipment and formed drum and
bugle corps youth activities.
In 1937 the 1st Preston Boy Scout Troop organized the
Preston Scout House
Bandas an activity to
interest local boys. This corps ceased operation in 1967 but was
rejuvenated in 1999 to form the Preston Scout House Alumni Band. The majority of the organizations
consisted only of boys
performing in community events and local celebrations. Over time,
rivalries between corps emerged and the competitive Drum and Bugle Corps
(Drum Corps) was
born. As
time progress during the early 1950's girls were permitted to join some
corps while all girls corps like the St John's All Girls Drum and Bugle
Corps of Brantford, Ontario was formed in 1953. St. John's continued
as an all girls corps until 1985 when dwindling membership forced them to
allow boys.

With the rise
of the Drum Corps movement in the early 1900's the demand for the
bugles also increased. During the 1950's
manufactures
increased the range of current Soprano
and
Baritone by adding
the
Mellophone and
French Horn bugles. In
addition a rotor was added to the already single valve to increase the range
of the bugles. In 1959 the first
Contrabass
Bugle (lowest bass sound) was develop by a Canadian instrument manufacture
Whaley Royce.
The Contrabass Bugle was the only member of the
bugle family that
had never been produced in a valve-less style, as it was
developed when the Drum Corps rules allowed one piston valve
and one rotary valve.
As time progressed the Drum
Corps horn line converted to two vertical piston valves, then 3 and
later 4 valves to make the instrument fully chromatic.
In the late 1990's, Drum Corps once again made a dramatic change
to B Flat and F style bugles which are widely used by the current
competitive Drum Corps.

Drum Corps is certainly not without tradition. As in the former
military corps, the drum and bugle signaling units were lead by the Drum
Major. Today Drum and Bugle Corps continue to march in a similar military
style and are directed by the Drum Major.

Drum and Bugle
Corps are divided into 3 age groups:

Junior - Under the age of 21

Senior - Over the age of 21

All ages - Combined age groups

From the early 1950ís to the late 1980ís
there were over 100Drum and Bugle Corps across Ontario
and Quebecwith competitions taking place almost every
weekend from mid June to late August. The Ontario Drum
Corps Association (ODCA) was the leading association in
Ontario for drum corpsí to meet and compete for the top
billing. Corps ranged in class from A, being the best of
the best to D and parade class. Each corps consisted
of up to
120 marching members performing for 20 minutes on a
standard football field showing their best bugles, drums,
marching, manoeuvring and special effects. Today only a
handful of corps exist in Ontario
with the majority of them being
senior corps consisting of members attempting to relive
their youth.

In the United States Drum and Bugle Corps is still
thriving. Although not as strong as the mid 1900ís,
organizations like Drum Corps
International (DCI) and Drum
Corps Associates (DCA) help to keep the drum and
bugle corps movement alive. Each year in early August DCI
holds the World Junior Drum Corps Championships with well over
100 drum and bugle corps from around the world competing for
the best junior drum corps. As with DCI, DCA hosts the
All Ages Drum and Bugle Corps World Championships in early
September.